The package delivery business typically involves three main entities in the course of delivering a package: a carrier, a consignor, and a consignee. The carrier typically arranges the delivery of a package between the consignor and the consignee, and is often referred to as a package delivery provider, service provider, or common carrier. The consignor is the entity that causes the package to shipped, and can be referred to as the shipper or originator. The intended recipient of the package is the consignee. In the case of a package being shipped as part of a mail-order or Internet-based purchase, typically the consignor is the merchant and the consignee is the customer of the merchant.
The process of delivering a package is well known. Typically, the consignor prepares the item to be shipped, selects a carrier and class of service (e.g., normal or expedited delivery), and arranges for the carrier to gain custody of the package. This may occur by the consignor bringing the package to a carrier's pickup location or arranging the carrier to pick up the package at the consignor's premises. Once the carrier takes possession, the carrier routes the package to a handling facility in the town or serving area of the consignee. The package is then delivered to the consignee, usually using a delivery vehicle.
Typically, the carrier maintains a regular route for the delivery of packages, and along the route will stop at the appropriate consignee's address and attempt to deliver the package. In an optimal delivery experience, the carrier delivers the package on the initial attempt to the consignee, who is present to accept the package.
However, as can be expected, in many instances the delivery experience is not optimal in that the package is not successfully delivered on the initial attempt. There are a number of reasons why this may occur. A common reason is that the consignee is not present, and therefore unable to receive and sign for the package. In some circumstances, this may not be a problem because the delivery location is determined to be secure and/or the class of service associated with the delivery may not require a signature. For example, a class of service may not require a consignee's signature for delivery or a secure lockbox may be provided for deposit of the package. However, in many instances, the class of service (or other constraints) requires a recipient to be present to accept and sign for delivery. This results in the consignee and the carrier entering into various procedures to coordinate a follow-up delivery attempt.
For a delivery provider, such as UPS, handling millions of deliveries each day, each failed delivery attempt requires additional time and resources for coordinating a follow-up delivery attempt. Not only does this result in decreased efficiency for the carrier, but it results in an undesirable delivery experience for the consignee, and potentially the consignor as the package is not delivered as soon as it could be.
Thus, in order to affect an optimal delivery experience, coordination is required between the consignor, carrier, and consignee. All the parties have an interest in achieving prompt delivery.
However, in many instances, delays may occur, schedules may change, or there may not be complete knowledge by all three parties of the details of the delivery. For example, a consignor may be delayed in providing the package for shipment, thus resulting in delaying the anticipated date of delivery to the consignee. Alternatively, the consignee may not be able to accept delivery because he is not present. For example, the consignee may have stepped away from the delivery location for a brief time period, or may be away on vacation. Often, the consignee works during normal delivery hours and cannot be present at a residential address to accept delivery. Or the consignee may plan to be present, but due to a schedule change, cannot be present.
In other instances, the delivery may occur, but in less than optimal circumstances. For example, delivery of the package may be accomplished, but the placement of the package at the consignee's delivery location may not be as the consignee desired. For example, the consignee may desire the carrier to deliver the package to a side entrance instead of a front entrance so as to avoid theft. Or, the consignee may regularly use the side entrance rather the front entrance. The consignee may have desire to have the package placed in a secure lockbox, but has not communicated a combination to the carrier for unlocking the lockbox.
Thus, systems and methods are needed to allow for greater coordination between the consignor, the carrier, and the consignee of a package so as to achieve a successful and optimal delivery experience without wasting resources and incurring unnecessary delays in the package delivery process.